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Barton Arcade
The Barton Building sits on the south side of Deansgate between St Mary's Gate and St. Ann' Street. The Grade II listed building was designed by Corbett Raby and Sawyer in 1871.     The facade on Deansgate isn't
that interesting but step inside
 and you will find yourself in
something quite different, the glass and
iron Barton Arcade.
 With iron work from the Saracen
Foundry in
Glasgow and two glass domes, the result is described in Pevsner as
"gorgeous". There are three tiers of balconies in this U-shaped arcade
with mahogony handrails.
    The southern doorway, which
opens out onto
Barton Square and a lane beside a building called Acresfield, takes you
out into St. Ann's Square.
 In 1650 Deans Gate and Market
Street Lane
had been laid out but this really was a field called Acres Field and
it was the site of an annual fair.
 Here is a view of the Deansgate entrance in an earlier time.  Close Window |